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Nigeria cocoa output to fall in 2020/21 on virus, dry weather -cocoa association

Published 26/08/2020, 12:49
© Reuters.

By Chijioke Ohuocha
ABUJA, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Nigerian cocoa output is likely to
drop by at least 20% this season as measures aimed at curbing
the spread of the novel coronavirus and drier weather increase
the chances of a poor harvest, the president of the cocoa
association said.
Mufutau Abolarinwa told Reuters that output for the last
2019/20 season declined to an estimate of 250,000 tonnes, lower
than the International Cocoa Organization's forecast of 260,000
tonnes.
The association previously estimated last season's output at
305,000 tonnes. Nigeria, the world's fifth biggest cocoa grower, has been
hurt by lockdown measures initiated to slow the spread of the
outbreak as farmers have been unable to import inputs, while
drier weather has hindered pod formation, Abolarinwa said.
The statistics office said in a report that the pandemic
could cause agricultural yields to fall due to the limited
access to inputs for crop production.
"We are expecting a poor harvest by November," Abolarinwa, a
cocoa exporter, said. He added export volumes have also fallen.
"For the past seven weeks there has been no substantial rain
in the cocoa regions," he told Reuters by telephone.
Cocoa trees need a delicate balance of rain and dry weather.
Too little rain and they wither; too much and they become
susceptible to insects or fungal black pod disease. Beans can
also go mouldy if small farmers are unable to dry them outside.
Abolarinwa said scant rainfall between April and June helped
the bean count to rise to 270 grams from 230 grams, but was not
sufficient to boost new pod formation.
Farmers have started an early harvest for the main crop in
anticipation that rainfall might improve before November, the
peak of the harvest, said cocoa analyst Robo Adhuse.

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